by Evan Ren

EVAN REN’S 2026 ALL-HUSTLE TEAM (the hardest-working baseball and softball players in the area)

OTHER 2026 ALL-BIG COUNTRY PREPS TEAMS

Our All-Big Country Preps softball and baseball teams, released on Sunday, are in place to honor those who achieved the most on-field success in 2026. It is off the field, however, where character, grit, and work ethic are often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team that we wish to honor those players, male and female, who were (simply put) the hardest-working, best teammates in the area this spring. 

This team isn’t about who the best baseball and softball players were.

The All-Hustle team honors effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches wish they had in every player and upon which championships are built.

It is for that reason that this team is largely selected by area coaches and described in their own words.

Big Country Preps is now honored to present these individuals to you — the best team players (boys and girls) that the the Big Country had to offer during the 2021 season.

The players below are listed in no particular order. 

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by Evan Ren

ALL BIG COUNTRY BASEBALL SUPERLATIVES: Oliver, Ferguson, McCarty, Shindler and West take top honors

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Baseball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Baseball Team: Second-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2026 Big Country Preps Rising Stars Baseball Team: The top sophomores and freshmen in the area

Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2026 All-Big Country Preps baseball teams. 

Here, you will find our Rising Stars Team honoring the top freshmen and sophomores in the Big Country.

For the rest of this year’s baseball selections, please click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

ALL BIG COUNTRY SOFTBALL SUPERLATIVES: Hart, Reynolds, Smith, McLean and Orosco win our top awards

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Softball Team: First-team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Softball Team: Second-team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2026 Big Country Preps Rising Stars Softball Team: The top sophomores and freshmen in the area

Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2026 All-Big Country Preps Softball teams. 

Here, you will find our Rising Stars Team honoring the top freshmen and sophomores in the Big Country.

For the rest of this year’s softball selections, please click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Thunderstorm halts FCA football game with Red team leading

ABILENE — One of God’s own inventions stood in the way of an interesting finale to the Big Country Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-Star Festival on Saturday. 

With the Myrle Greathouse All-Star Football Classic providing a competitive Day 3 conclusion to the event, an afternoon thunderstorm moved into the area, bringing lightning with it. 

 It was at that point that game officials elected to cancel the remainder of the event, rather than subject those in attendance to endless delays and possible safety concerns. 

For the record, the Red team was leading 22-14 early in the third quarter when the stoppage occurred.  Brownwood’s Judson Coalson had thrown for 122 yards with TD passes to Abilene’s Jeremiah Collins and Jim Ned’s Breck Lawson. 

Blue, which had outgained Red 157-146 at that point, was led by Cooper’s Jaden Carillo with 26 yards rushing and one TD to go with four catches for 31 yards. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: First-inning rally, complete-game gem by Larsen lifts Groveton Centerville to 2-0 win over Gordon

ROUND ROCK — A two-out, two-run single by Chris Fry in the top of the first inning proved the difference in the game Saturday as Groveton Centerville edged Gordon 2-0 for the Class 1A state championship at Dell Diamond.

The Bulldogs’ three first-inning hits accounted for more than half their total for the game, but that mini outburst against Longhorns ace Aiden Shank was all the run support necessary for Kolt Larsen, whose complete-game shutout had him holding the MVP trophy after the game.

Fry’s single, the only hit by either team in 17 at-bats with runners in scoring position, forced Gordon to play catch-up the rest of the way. And despite a strong pitching performance of their own from Shank and reliever Stryker Reed, the Longhorns could never close the gap, leaving seven runners on base in the loss.

With the victory, Centerville (24-1) claimed its first state championship in program history, while Gordon (23-5) finished as the state runner-up for the second consecutive year.

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